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Boston Career Explorer

Management

Compensation and Benefits Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate compensation and benefits activities of an organization.

Also called: Benefits Coordinator, Benefits Director, Benefits Manager, Compensation and Benefits Director, Compensation and Benefits Manager, Compensation Director

Median pay in Greater Boston
$185,590
$89.22/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
590
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−1.6%
40 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
5 years or more of related work experience

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$129,490$161,000$185,590$223,210$285,030

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Direct preparation and distribution of written and verbal information to inform employees of benefits, compensation, and personnel policies.
  • Design, evaluate, and modify benefits policies to ensure that programs are current, competitive, and in compliance with legal requirements.
  • Fulfill all reporting requirements of all relevant government rules and regulations, including the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).
  • Analyze compensation policies, government regulations, and prevailing wage rates to develop competitive compensation plan.
  • Identify and implement benefits to increase the quality of life for employees by working with brokers and researching benefits issues.
  • Manage the design and development of tools to assist employees in benefits selection, and to guide managers through compensation decisions.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure85 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 87
  • Language-model AIOE 94
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 74

Observed AI use today: Little or none (Anthropic Economic Index)

AI exposure is higher for this job, though observed AI use is little or none so far. AI tools can help with analyzing pay data, drafting employee notices, and preparing compliance reports. Federal projections say some of this work is being outsourced or automated through specialized software, and Massachusetts job numbers are expected to dip slightly. Designing programs, working with brokers, and using judgment on policy still need people.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing pay rates and market data
  • Drafting benefits notices and compliance reports

Still relies on people

  • Designing benefits that fit employee needs
  • Working with brokers and weighing policy tradeoffs

What federal projections say

“Sourcing change, capital/labor substitution - share decreases as compensation and benefits activities continue to be outsourced or automated through specialized software.”
BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, factors affecting this job (U.S.)

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

57 programs near Boston (plus 33 graduate)

Related occupations

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